Gorgeous blooms, glossy foliage, resistance to disease and swoon-inducing fragrance are the hallmarks of a great rose, and this year's new introductions are no exception.

Let's begin with the three 2009 All-American Rose Selections. The first, a mounding shrub rose with perky red, apple-blossom-type blooms called Carefree Spirit, flourished in test gardens for two years without fungicidal sprays.

The second, Cinco de Mayo, produces large clusters of fiery purple-pink-rose-coral blooms above exceptionally disease-resistant glossy green foliage, while the third, Pink Promise, produces elegant, long-stemmed and highly fragrant pink-and-cream blooms - and for every Pink Promise sold, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation to help educational efforts geared toward early detection.

But, like every year, there are just too darn many choices and not nearly enough space. Here, in a nutshell, are a few of the many wonderful new roses for 2009:

Pink Promise: Class: hybrid tea; plant habit: large; growth habit: upright; stem length: long; foliage color: strong dark green; disease resistance: excellent; flower color: pink and cream blend; bud form: long and high centered; flower form: wide spiraled; size: large - five inches in diameter; petal count: 25 to 30 petals; fragrance: highly fragrant.

Cinco de Mayo: Class: floribunda; plant habit: medium; growth habit: rounded and bushy; stem length: long; foliage color: deep, super-glossy green; disease resistance: excellent; flower color: indescribable blend of smoky lavender/red/coral/burnt sienna; bud form: long and pointed; flower form: spiraled and doubles; flower size: medium, up to three inches in diameter; petal count: 20 to 25; fragrance: moderate fresh-cut apple.

Carefree Spirit: Class: landscape/shrub; plant habit: hedging/mounding; growth habit: very vigorous; stem length: long; foliage color: medium to dark green, very glossy; disease resistance: excellent for black spot and totally resistant to mildew and rust; flower color: deep cherry red with white eye, with white reverse suffused with deep cherry pink and sunny yellow stamens - finishes deep pink in heat; bud form: oval; flower form: single; flower size: 2 to 3 inches wide; petal count: five; fragrance: none.

Legends: This buxom beauty was developed to honor rose-lover Oprah Winfrey; the name is a tribute to the African-American women she honored during her famous "Legends" weekend in 2005. Class: hybrid tea (but definitely more shrubby than most); plant habit: upright; growth habit: medium-tall and vigorous; stem length: long; foliage color: green occasionally tinged with red; disease resistance: very good; flower color: rich ruby red; flower form: orb-shaped, very full and ruffled; flower size: easily five inches across; petal count: near 30; fragrance: moderately fruity; source: local nurseries and garden centers.

Paradise Found: The flowers on this rose are absolutely drop-dead gorgeous, which makes it worthwhile for those willing to accept (or vanquish) the black spot that wants to mar this plant's terrific foliage. Class: hybrid tea; plant habit: upright; growth habit: four to five feet tall; stem length: long; foliage color: glossy dark green; disease resistance: susceptible to black spot; flower color: stunning blend of cherry-red, mauve, pink and ivory; flower form: orb-shaped, very full with excellent spiral; flower size: three to four inches across; petal count: 28; fragrance: rich verbena blended with anise; source: edmundroses.com.

Limoncello: This charming selection flowers continuously all summer! Class: shrub rose; plant habit: bushy, with abundant foliage; growth habit: three feet square; stem length: short; foliage color: dark, glossy green; disease resistance: pretty darn high, especially when you consider that it's a yellow rose, which are notorious for their lack of disease resistance; flower color: bright clear yellow, aging to light yellow; flower form: single; flower size: two inches across; petal count: nine; fragrance: can be strong; hips: plentiful after first spring bloom; source: edmundroses.com.